Banning Russian Oil Imports is “The Right Thing to Do”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Biden announced today that the United States will stop importing oil from Russia.

John Bowman, managing director for government affairs for NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), made the following statement:

“This is the right thing to do. Russia is using oil and gas money to help fund this brutal invasion. The United States should not send one more dollar to support Russia’s unconscionable attacks on the people of Ukraine.

“One of the most important measures we can take right now is to reduce our dependence, at home and abroad, on the oil and gas that’s helping to bankroll the Russian military. That means shifting away from the fossil fuels that lock in dependence on belligerent petro states and drive us toward climate catastrophe. 

“Real energy independence comes from getting more clean, renewable power from the wind and sun here at home; making our cars, homes and workplaces more efficient; and building modern, resilient power and storage grids. That’s how to make our economy stronger, our country more secure and less reliant on nations that use energy as a weapon.”

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.